Akash surface-to-air missile successfully test-fired

India on Thursday successfully test-fired indigenously-developed surface-to-air Akash missile with a strike range of 25 km and capability to carry warhead of 60 kgs from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur as part of a user-trial.

Describing the launch as successful, defence sources said that the sophisticated missile was testfired at about 10.58am from launch complex-3 of the Interim Test Range.

"The mission was successful. The trial was conducted by Indian Air Force personnel," ITR director MVKV Prasad said.

Akash, which aimed at a para-barrel target during the trial, is a medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

The missile has the capability to target aircraft up to 30 km away and is packed with a battery that can track and attack several targets simultaneously, the sources said.